Adult colouring.

No that doesn't mean colouring naughty pictures you filthy animal but colouring books designed and in depth enough to engross an adults attention. 

I first got into the craze during my inpatient stay in hospital, we had the colouring crew (very cool) and we'd pass the days and evenings by colouring. On nights where my insomnia was bad I'd colour until I fell asleep. 

I currently work from 4 books; Harry Potter, The secret garden, animal kingdom and animorphhia. 

I like to use Marco Raffine pencils but have been experimenting with Fabre Castell Pitt Pens. 

Here's a couple of my completed pieces.  

Cheetah from Animorphia

 Scarecrow from The Secret Garden, 

I've found colouring helps me to be mindful to not focus on things that are causing me stress or distress and brings me to a calm place. You don't even need to spend a fortune toget started. I paid £2.50 for Animorphia on Amazon, and £17.99 for a pack of 72 pencils which may seem extreme but they were recommended and I recommend them too, they have lasted a lot of colouring hours and have lots of life left in them and the sharpen beautifully and don't break easily.  

Happy New Year

It's still okay to say that right?  I know it's been a long time since I posted but I've not been very well. 

After my last post I attended a 5 day course with Back Up, for people with spinal cord injuries.  Doing things like abseiling, zip wires, canoeing, and a truly amazing coastal push together wth learning wheelchair skills, I can totally pop am awesome wheely now, as well as get up kerbs and learning how to go up hills, zig zag style to make it easier.   It was an awesome time and I made some new friends.  

In August, I went away wth another organisation called Shine Cancer Support, camping for a few nights although I only made it one night as I had an asthma attack and ended up in A&E in Poole at 3am. 

After August I started to go downhill, my mental health was suffering, I'd been diagnosed with depression and agoraphobia earlier in the year but now it was really starting to take hold, until October when I ended up as an inpatient in the local mental health services, until discharge just before Christmas.   I also had an operation in between so had a week off although always had someone sitting with me in the hospital. 

After my inpatient discharge I started day patient services at the local day hospital in December, and I've been there every day to now.  Hopefully at my review tomorrow will let me know when I might be discharged.  

I did have a very nice time at the Back Up Ball in November, I only had limited time out so could only stay until 10 but I had great fun.  

I'm starting to feel more like myself now and know things are improving.  I just hope they continue to.